CCRC By-Laws

CUMBERLAND COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE BYLAWS

ARTICLE I: NAME AND PURPOSE

The name of this organization shall be the Cumberland County Republican Committee, herein referred to as the “county committee”. Its purpose shall be to represent the registered Republican voters of Cumberland County, to create a better Republican Party presence and to recruit, train, elect and support Republican officeholders, to provide leadership for the local town and city committees, and to further the principles and ideals of the Republican Party through cooperation and support for the State and National Republican Committees, members of the Maine State Legislature, and other party organizations such as the Maine Federation of Republican Women, Young Republicans, College Republicans, and Teen-Age Republicans.

ARTICLE II: MEMBER COMMITTEES

Within Cumberland County, Maine, there are 27 cities and towns, each of which may have an active Republican Town Committee. All such committees are defined as member committees of the Cumberland County Republican Committee. These committees are the town committees of: Baldwin, Bridgton, Brunswick, Cape Elizabeth, Casco, Cumberland, Falmouth, Freeport, Frye Island, Gorham, Gray, Harpswell, Harrison, Long Island, Naples, New Gloucester, North Yarmouth, Portland, Pownal, Raymond, Scarborough, Sebago, South Portland, Standish, Westbrook, Windham and Yarmouth.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

Sec. 1 MUNICIPAL REPRESENTATIVES:

Members shall be nominated from each municipality in Cumberland County. Two members for the first 2000 republican votes cast in the most recent Presidential, Gubernatorial, or US Senate race, whichever is larger, plus one member for each 1000 voters for the same office, rounded to the nearest 1000 votes. The race to be used will be determined by the County-wide vote total for the office and the municipal allotment will be determined by the number of votes cast for the selected race, with at least two members from each municipality. Such nominations shall be made at each municipal caucus, held the same year as the Republican State Convention, and confirmed at the county-wide caucus at the Republican State Convention. If a municipality fails to make a nomination, the convention may elect any Republican resident of that municipality to the county committee.

In the case of vacancies, members shall be nominated by the respective local committees according to their own bylaws, and elected by the county committee. Where there is no local committee, enrolled Republicans of that municipality may caucus and nominate members to the county committee, or application for membership may be made to the secretary of the county committee by an enrolled Republican resident of that municipality, who may then be elected a member of this committee up to the authorized number.

The presentation of such nomination shall be a privileged motion, which must be accepted immediately when presented by a member of the municipal committee, or in writing by an officer of the municipal committee, at any regular or special meeting of the county committee. Members shall be elected by majority vote. The name and address of each newly-elected member of the committee shall be published in the minutes of that meeting.

Sec. 2 ADDITIONAL MEMBERS:

Additional voting members shall include all Republican town and city committee chairmen in CumberlandCounty, the members of the MaineState and National Committees residing in CumberlandCounty, Republicans elected to the House and Senate of the Maine State Legislature from this county, and elected county officials who are Republicans. Honorary members may also be elected. Honorary membership shall not include voting privileges.

All Republican candidates for Local, County, State or National office, residing in Cumberland County, unless already members, shall automatically become Associate Members of the Cumberland County Republican Committee upon their declaration of candidacy and remain as such until elected, or until December 31 of the following odd-numbered year. Any registered Republican residing in the county is welcome to attend regular committee meetings, and may apply for associate membership through the local town or city committee. Associate membership shall not include voting privileges.

Sec. 3 TERM AND QUALIFICATION:

Members shall serve for two years, or until a successor is duly elected and qualified. All members shall be enrolled Republicans.

In the event of a member’s election as chairman of a town or city committee, to the State or National Committee, or to the State Legislature, that member ceases to be a municipal representative and that seat is declared vacant.

Sec. 4 LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP:

Loss of membership occurs when a municipal representative moves his/her residence outside the geographical limits of the town or county (unless elected to honorary membership). In such case, the committee secretary or the town or city chairman shall cause the local committee to nominate, according to their own bylaws, someone to represent the municipality.

When a member publicly supports any non-Republican candidate against a Republican running for public office, or speaks publicly against a duly nominated Republican for public office (except in a non-partisan race), membership may be terminated by the county committee under the removal procedure described in Sec. 5.

Sec. 5 REMOVAL:

Any officer or member may be removed from office for malfeasance, nonfeasance, or conduct detrimental to the goals of the county committee or the State Republican Party, by a vote of two-thirds of the membership present at any regular or special meeting, if notice of such action has been provided at least one week in advance. An affidavit alleging inappropriate behavior and requesting that one or more persons be removed from membership may be filed with the secretary by any member and shall immediately trigger the removal procedure (investigation of the charges by the executive committee, or by a special committee appointed by a majority of that committee). Any member proposed for removal shall be notified in writing at least one week in advance, and shall be entitled to appear and be heard prior to any vote. Any officer subject to removal procedures shall be suspended from office until the vote is taken, and his/her duties shall be taken over by the ranking (in time of service) member of the elected representatives to the state committee.

Sec. 6 ATTENDANCE:

Members of the county committee are expected to attend all meetings. A municipal representative who is absent for three successive regular meetings may cause the executive committee to notify the member and the local committee of such non-attendance. The local committee may then declare the member’s position to be vacant and nominate, according to their own bylaws, someone to represent the municipality. Continued absence of such a member is cause for removal under the procedure described in Sec. 5.

ARTICLE IV: OFFICERSand COMMITTEES

Sec. 1 OFFICERS:

The officers of the county committee shall consist of a chairman, vice-chairman, secretary, treasurer, program chair and development chair. Each shall serve a term of two years or until a successor is duly elected and qualified. A person need not be a member of the county committee when nominated to be an officer, but shall, upon election, become a full voting member. All officers are expected to carry out their responsibilities in accordance with the principles set out in Article I.

Sec. 2 DUTIES:

The duties of the CHAIRMAN shall include presiding at regular, special and executive committee meetings, appointing standing committee chairmen and special committees, providing direction and support for other officers and committee chairmen, cooperating fully with the Maine Republican Party as required by State Law, and acting to further the principles and ideals of the Republican Party at the county level.

The VICE-CHAIRMAN shall assume the chairman’s duties in the absence of the chairman, and shall perform other duties as directed by the chairman or the executive committee.

The SECRETARY shall have the duty to notify members of the time, place and agenda of all meetings and other activities, to keep and have available at any member’s request a list of members of the committee and their attendance records, to keep and publish full and complete minutes of all meetings including brief notes of any discussions that took place and any votes taken, to handle correspondence and other customary secretarial responsibilities as directed by the executive committee.

The TREASURER shall keep and have available to any member on request, records of income and expenditures, maintain accounts and pay routine expenses authorized by the chairman or, in his absence or inability to act, the vice-chairman. The treasurer shall disburse no money in excess of $300 unless approved by a majority vote of the county committee at any regular or special meeting.

The DEVELOPMENT CHAIR is responsible for helping to develop the county committee’s effectiveness as an organization, including the development and execution of a strategic plan and the raising of funds for the operation of the county committee and the Republican Party, for the support of candidates for local, state and national offices, and for other activities recommended by the executive committee and approved by the county committee. In the execution of these duties, the Development Chair may be assisted by a Development Subcommittee.

The PROGRAM CHAIR is responsible for planning the regular meetings, their time, place and program such as an interesting and enlightening speaker for the benefit of county committee members. In the execution of these duties, the Program Chair may be assisted by a Program Subcommittee.

Sec. 3 NOMINATION OF OFFICERS

There shall be a nominating committee proposed by the chairman and confirmed by majority vote of the executive committee, consisting of the members of the state committee not currently serving as officers of the county committee plus, if necessary, at-large candidates sufficient to bring the total committee membership to at least three. The nominating committee’s slate of candidates shall be proposed no later than the January general meeting preceding the February election. Additional nominees may be proposed from the floor at the February meeting providing such nominations are moved and seconded by a voting member physically in attendance.

Sec. 4 ELECTION OF OFFICERS:

Officers of the county committee shall be nominated and elected individually by ballot at the February regular meeting in odd-numbered years. However, any officer may be replaced at the first meeting following the election of members of the county committee at the biennial county caucus, as provided by state law.

Sec. 5 VACANCIES:

A vacancy in any office, whether by removal, resignation or any other cause, may be filled for the unexpired term by nomination by a majority vote of the executive committee and election at the next regular meeting, or by nomination and election by a majority vote of the members of the county committee at any regular meeting where a quorum is present, provided in either case that notice of the election has been given in the call to executive committee or regular committee members notifying them of the meeting/

Sec. 6 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

The elected officers, along with members of the state committee elected from Cumberland County, the immediate past chairman, and the confirmed chairmen of the eight standing committees shall constitute the executive committee. Chairmen of other special committees as nominated by the executive committee and confirmed by the county committee may also be included as voting members.

Meetings of the executive committee shall be called at least as often as regular committee meetings, and preferably in a public place so that observers may attend. Timing is usually at the discretion of the chairman, but any member of the executive committee may call such a meeting at any time. A quorum for a meeting of the executive committee shall be five persons and shall include, at least, the chairman or the vice-chairman.

The executive committee shall have discretion to act in the name of the Cumberland County Republican Committee as set forth in Article I, and shall have the duty to recommend disbursement of all funds to be spent for political purposes, but not in excess of $300 unless approved by a majority vote of the county committee at any regular or special meeting.

Sec. 7 STANDING COMMITTEES

The standing committees of the executive committee shall be:

Voter List Committee

Candidate Recruitment Committee

Strategic Planning Committee

Candidate Training Committee

Publicity Committee

CountyWide Caucus Committee

Town/City Officer Training Committee

Information/Web Development Committee

Standing committee chairmen shall be appointed by the county chairman and confirmed by a majority vote of the members present at any county committee meeting. A person need not be a member of the county committee when appointed to be the chairman of a standing committee, but shall, upon assuming the committee duties, become a full voting member. Standing committee chairmen serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority, the county chairman.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

Sec. 1 REGULAR MEETINGS:

Regular meetings shall be held on the third Tuesday of every month, or at the discretion of the chairman, or of the vice chairman in the case of the chairman’s absence or inability to act, but at least nine times a year. Notice of the time, place, and complete expected agenda shall be given by mail or electronic means at least three days in advance.

Sec. 2 SPECIAL MEETINGS:

The chairman may call the county committee together at any time, or in his absence or inability to act, the vice chairman has this authority. Notice of a special meeting must be given in writing at least seven days in advance, and specify the date, time, place, and general purpose of such meeting.

Upon written petition of at least ten members of the county committee, filed with any member of the executive committee, the secretary shall be instructed to call a special meeting by giving proper notice to all members. If the secretary fails to do this, any member of the executive committee shall be empowered to call such a meeting.

Sec. 3 QUORUM:

Thirty members of the county committee shall constitute a quorum. However, at least three members of the executive committee, including the chairman, vice-chairman or the chairman’s designee, shall be required for a quorum at a regular or special meeting. Nevertheless, the absence of both the chairman and vice chairman, together with the chairman’s failure to designate a presiding officer, shall not prevent a special meeting from conducting legitimate business if the remaining quorum requirements and the call to the meeting are in order.

ARTICLE VI: AMENDING THE BYLAWS

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the county committee by a two-thirds vote of the members present, provided notice in writing of the specific proposed change(s) in the bylaws is mailed to each member at least one week in advance of the meeting. Such notice is sufficient to allow final adoption of any amendments to the bylaws, even though not exactly as originally proposed. Bylaws are subject to adoption by majority vote of the biennial county caucus, and shall remain in effect until amended or revoked by this committee, or by a Cumberland County caucus called according to the rules of the Republican State Committee and the laws of the State of Maine.

ARTICLE VII: RULES OF ORDER

The rules contained in Roberts Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern the parliamentary practice of this committee in all cases where they are applicable and not inconsistent with these bylaws, the rules of the Maine Republican Party, and the laws of the State of Maine.